Insolence

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Genesis 4:9 ESV

This is an outrageous verse. Cain had just murdered his younger brother Abel. God knew exactly where Abel was, lying dead in the ground, but was giving Cain an opportunity to repent.

Far from repenting, Cain decided to act like a stroppy teenager with the Sovereign Lord God Almighty, the Judge of all the earth. To be honest, God was staggeringly gracious with Cain, not just here, but for the rest of his life. Cain deserved death for his murder of Abel, but God made sure no one killed Cain.

Cain ended up having a successful life humanly speaking. Spiritually however, there's no indication that he ever repented of his fratricide. We can only assume that he is lost for eternity.

As Jesus said, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses his soul? Cain is a classic example of that. As the first man ever to be born, the world was his oyster as it were- yet like mankind nowadays he failed to steward creation well, most outrageously in the cold blooded killing of his own younger brother.

'Lord, forbid that we would be insolent in our relationship with you. May we fear you as we ought and repent of our wrongdoing, finding forgiveness in the blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. In Christ's name, amen'.

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